Funchal Cruise To Egypt? Part3

[seabourndt]

FRI 18TH NOV.

TODAY WE ARE TRANSITING THE SUEZ CANAL NOT MUCH TO SEE. AFTER BREAKFAST AND THE USUAL MILE WALK AROUND DECK PLUS EXCERCISES. DID A RUN THROUGH OF THE PANTOMINE, HAD A GO AT DECK QUOTS WHICH I DID NOT REALLY GET THE HANG OF AS I HAD NOT DONE IT BEFORE. LESLEY AND DES ARE MUCH BETTER THAN ME. AFTER DINNER THERE WAS NO SHOW BUT IN THE GAMA BAR "THE SPHINX BAR" WHICH WAS SINGING AND DANCING THE CRUISE DIRECTOR "ROMANA" WHO IS A BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE NORM OF A CRUISE DIRECTOR, BUT I REALLY LIKE HER. DRESSSED UP AS CLEOPATRA.

 

SAT 19TH NOV.

TODAY WE ARRIVED IN SHARM EL SHEIK THE PLACE WHERE THE TERRORIST ATTACK LAST YEAR. IT WAS QUITE A WAY FROM THE TOWN AND WHEN WE GOT OFF IT WAS DESERTED AS THE COACHES HAD ALL GONE. NO Taxis SO WE MADE OUT WAY TO THE SECURITY GATE WHERE WE SHOWED OUR PASSPORTS. LUCKILY LESLEY AND DES WITH ME AS YOU HAD TO REALLY BARTER WITH THE DRIVERS TO AVOID GETTING RIPPED OFF WITH THE PRICE. LESLEY JUST WALKED AWAY AND GOT A REALLY GOOD DEAL! HE TOOK US TO THE OLD TOWN WHERE WE HAD A WALK AROUND THE SHOPS. MORE WALK INTO OUR SHOPS, WE HAVE THE BEST DISCOUNTS! AS I HAD LEFT MY SNORKAL AT HOME I BOUGHT A NEW ONE WITH AN UNDERWATER CAMERA. THEN WE GOT ANOTHER TAXI TO TAKE US TO "NAAMA BAY" AND PIICK US UP AT 4PM AND THEN WE WOULD PAY HIM. WAS A REALLY GOOD IDEA! SO WE WALKED UP THE STREET TO THE RESORT HOTEL TO CHANGE FOR A BIT OF SNORKALLING. ME I DON'T SWIMN SO DID NOT GO TOO FAR OUT. AFTER GETTING A BIT LOST FOUND THE PICKING UP PLACE FOR THE TAXI AND SURPRISE,SURPRISE! HE RETURNED TO PICK US UP. AFTER RETURNING TO THE SHIP AND DINNER NO SHOW TONIGHT INSTEAD THE FILM "PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN" WAS BEING SHOW IN THE MAIN LOUNGE DESPITE SEEING IT BEFORE I ENJOYED IT.

 

SUN 20TH NOV.

TODAY WE WERE IN AQABA IN JORDAN, WE DID A TOUR HERE OF PETRA. AFTER GETTING OFF THE BUS WE ALL WALKED THROUGH THE ROCKS ON OUR WAY THROUGH THE VERY INTERESTING PLACE. HAD A DRINK IN THE CAFE THERE AFTER GOING UP THE MANY STAIRS WHICH I DID NOT PAY FOR! THERE WAS ANOPTION OF GETTING ON A HORSE ALONG THE WAY BUT AS I STILL REMEMBER FALLING OF A DONKEY WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I WALKED, BUT LESLEY AND DES WENT ON THE HORSE. ON OUR WALK BACK WHICH TOOK ABOUT40MINS. WE HAD A BUFFET LUNCH IN THE HOTEL WHICH WAS VERY NICE. BACK TO THE SHIP, AFTER HAVING AFTERNOON TEA AND MY USUAL PIPE ON THE DECK WHILE DRINKING A RUM AND COKE. I WAS SHOWERING IN MY CABIN WHEN I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE ALL STOP AND IT GOING VERY QUIET. THEN A PA ANNOUNCEMENT FOR A "MR SKYLIGHT" PLEASE REPORT STRAIGHT AWAY, THEN SAYING IT WAS OVER. APPARENTLY IT WAS A SMALL FIRE IN THE PORT ENGINE. WE HAD OUR DINNER AND ANN WHO I SAT AT DINNER WITH SAID "THE SHIP IS DEAD IN THE WATER". BUT I WAS SURE WE WERE MOVING ALBEIT VERY SLOWLY. AT DINNER AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE THAT ONE OF THE ENGINE HAD A PROBLEM WITH. SO WE WOULD BE GOING TO SAFAGA AT REDUCED SPEED, AS ONLY ONE ENGINE WAS WORKING MEANING ARRIVAL TIME WOULD BE ABOUT MIDDAY NOT 6AM AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THERE WAS NO SHOW TONIGHT AND ONLY KARAOKE IN THE GAMA LOUNGE WHICH I DID NOT BOTHER WITH.